Cuba - Lonely Planet [223]
Tempered by the gentle rhythms of daily life, there are few places on the archipelago as quintessentially Cuban as Parque Vidal. Named for Colonel Leoncio Vidal y Caro, who was killed here on March 23, 1896, the park is shaded by palm trees and embellished by monuments to noted city luminaries. There’s a noble statue of the valiant Vidal, another of local philanthropist Marta Abreu (who helped finance the Teatro La Caridad) and a third depicting the emblematic El Niño de la Bota (Boy with a Boot), a long-standing city symbol.
During the colonial era, Santa Clara’s main square was encircled by twin sidewalks, with a fence separating blacks and whites. In its center sat the hallowed Iglesia Mayor, a historic church that was demolished amid much controversy in 1923 and replaced by a Gothic cathedral two blocks to the west.
Plenty of iconic buildings remain, including the 1885 Teatro La Caridad (Máximo Gómez), one of the three great rural theaters of the colonial era, with an imposing front facade and frescoes inside by Camilo Zalaya; the Museo de Artes Decorativas ( 20-53-68; Parque Vidal No 27; admission CUC$2; 9am-6pm Wed & Thu, 1-10pm Fri & Sat, 6-10pm Sun), an 18th-century museum packed with period furniture; and the muscular Palacio Provincial (1902–12), a neoclassical beauty that is now home to the Martí library (with a rare-book collection).
But the real treat is the inherent Cuban-ness of the setting – no cars, no stressed-out shoppers and no hurrying crowds. Sit down next to the gent in the guayabera and enjoy the moment.
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Hotels
Hotel Santa Clara Libre (Islazul; 20-75-48; Parque Vidal No 6; s/d CUC$27/36; ) Santa Clara’s only tourist hotel is accommodated in the city’s tallest building, the minty-green 168-room Santa Clara Libre. Opened in 1956, this lofty establishment played a key role in the December 1958 battle for the town between Che Guevara and Batista’s government troops. You can still see some of the bullet holes on the building’s none-too-attractive facade that overlooks Parque Vidal. Inside, the pokey rooms and tired furnishings appear rather worn these days, although prices are cheap and you can enjoy the best views in town from the 10th-floor restaurant.
OUTSIDE TOWN
Villa la Granjita (Cubanacán; 21-81-90; Carretera de Maleza Km 21.5; s/d CUC$37/46; ) Posing as a native Taíno village, La Granjita does well with its bohío-style (thatched) huts, equipped with all mod-cons, but loses authenticity at nighttime when a cheesy poolside show and blaring disco remind you you’re still very much in 21st-century Cuba. But, the hotel is a pleasant place and, with its outdoor pool and well-manicured grounds, is a step up from the usual out-of-town Islazul pile. There’s a good on-site restaurant, a massage therapist and horseback riding. Try to get a room well away from the noisy swimming-pool area.
Los Caneyes (Cubanacán; 20-45-13; cnr Av de los Eucaliptos & Circunvalación de Santa Clara; s/d CUC$45/60; ) Another mock-indigenous village, Los Caneyes has 95 thatched bungalows to la Granjita’s 75 and the price tag is a little more expensive. Built in equally verdant grounds replete with abundant birdlife it’s a fair out-of-town option that is a favorite with organized coach tours. There’s an on-site restaurant and pool.
Eating
RESTAURANTS
BurgueCentro (Parque Vidal No 31; 24hr) The burgers aren’t quite steakhouse standard but the upstairs bar overlooking Parque Vidal is a good drinking perch.
Coppelia (cnr Colón & Mujica; 10:30am-midnight Tue-Sun) Stock up on peso ice cream at this architecturally hideous construction.
Dinos Pizza (Marta Abreu No 10 btwn Villuendas & Cuba; 9am-11pm; ) Smarter than the average Dinos,